What is it all about?

This investment builds capacity across the pistachio industry with an emphasis on extending knowledge from both local and international sources to promote adoption of current best practice under Australian conditions.

Challenge

The Australian pistachio industry is entering a period of exponential growth, with productive trees increasing from 900 ha in 2020 to 1,500 ha in 2023, and another 2,000 ha of trees that are yet to be productive. With an industry-wide yield of approximately 4,200 tonnes in 2024 and a domestic demand of 5,000 tonnes it is expected that production will exceed domestic demand in the next two years, resulting in significant export market potential.

With such a rapidly changing industry, including many new growers and evolving best practice tools and recommendations, it is timely to broaden the current extension program that the industry has benefited from.

Response

The project employs a part-time Industry Development Officer (IDO) with strengths in extension and communications. The IDO will build capacity in the pistachio industry using a range of extension and communication tools for engaging and supporting growers to understand and implement current best practice.

The Pistachio Information Transfer (PIT) groups will expand their region of engagement to include the Riverina as an emerging production area and will include one visit to southern Western Australia.

The project builds on the success of previous project Supporting the adoption of best management practices for pistachio growers through on-farm demonstrations and regional discussion groups (PS20000) and will work collaboratively with the current Pistachio production research program (PS22000).

Benefit

The project will support the expansion of a thriving and sustainable pistachio industry.